Grounded has plenty of ways to help you defend yourself in the backyard. From bows and arrows made out of silk and thistle to maces and hammers for breaking enemies’ shells, there are plenty of resources to uncover. However, you’ll have to level your weapons up if you want to deal more damage, that’s where the Sturdy Whetstone comes in.
How to Get Sturdy Whetstones in Grounded
To unlock the Sturdy Whetstone recipe in Grounded, you’ll need to get the Black Anthill Chip to unlock the Advanced Smithing: Mighty Glob upgrade. This will reveal that you need Sturdy Quartzide Shards to craft it, which can be found in the Sandbox or from Supreme Quartzite.
First, you’re going to need to make your way to the Black Anthill Lab. Make your way through the lab, and take out the enemies inside to get your hands on the Black Anthill Chip.
Now that you have the chip, you’re going to want to unlock the Advanced Smithing: Mighty Glob upgrade. This costs about 2,500 Raw Science. Once you’ve done this, you’ll have the recipe for the Sturdy Whetstone. Per the recipe, you’ll need Sturdy Quartzite Shards to craft it, which are located in the Sandbox or from Supreme Quartzite.
Once you get farther in the game, you can actually get your hands on another recipe for the Sturdy Whetstone, one that doesn’t require the use of Sturdy Quartzite. You’ll have to head to the Stump Lab Outpost and get your hands on the Stump Chip. Once you’ve done that, use 1,500 Raw Science to get the new recipe. This one only requires Sap and Spider Fangs.
By the time you get the Stump Chip, however, you’ll also be able to unlock the Supreme Whetstone, which will be more beneficial than the Sturdy one. However, this will also allow you to upgrade low-level weapons easier, and make them just as effective as the rest of your arsenal.